Study Shows 62% of Increase in Rx Spending Attributed to Top 50 Drugs – Brief Article – Statistical Data Included Spending on drugs in the retail marketplace rose 17.1%, to $154.5 billion in 2001 from $131.9 billion in 2000. According to a study from the National Institute for Health Care Management Foundation, this was the […]
Category: Drug Cost Management Report
Treatment guidelines for high-risk chest pain patients save lives, but these guidelines are not being routinely followed by physicians – Drug Cost Studies in Brief * Treatment guidelines for high-risk chest pain patients save lives, but these guidelines are not being routinely followed by physicians, according to new data released by Duke Clinical Research Institute. […]
AstraZeneca has announced that it will seek a bipolar disorder indication for Seroquel – quetiapine – Product News in Brief – Brief Article * AstraZeneca has announced that it will seek a bipolar disorder indication for Seroquel (quetiapine). The company has submitted a Supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) to the FDA for Seroquel to treat […]
Xolair , the much-anticipated anti-IgE asthma treatment, is now available from Genentech – omalizumab – Product News in Brief – Brief Article * Xolair (omalizumab), the much-anticipated anti-IgE asthma treatment, is now available from Genentech. The American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI) says the new product is a major breakthrough that can change […]
The worldwide market for prescription dermatological drugs – Brief Article – Statistical Data Included * The worldwide market for prescription dermatological drugs stood at nearly $7 billion in 2001 and will continue to expand at a healthy pace to surpass $10 billion by 2006, according to a study from Kalorama Information and available from MarketResearch.com. […]
One city begins reimporting drugs while congress mulls nationwide permission – Springfield, MA Congress continues to debate whether importing foreign drugs should be allowable as a method of controlling drug costs because of the safety risks involved. But Springfield, MA, isn’t waiting for a federal nod to drug importation and instead has launched its own […]
A new study indicates that prescription drug copay incentives are effective in switching brands of proton pump inhibitors – PPIs – Drug Cost Studies in Brief * A new study indicates that prescription drug copay incentives are effective in switching brands of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). The study, from Market Measures/ Cozint, says that 25% […]
Essentials for cost-effective, win-win injectables management Chris Nee The management of injectable drug costs represents a challenge to managed care organizations. The main reason is that physicians often are the providers for these medications. Furthermore, these physicians are often specialists who have, over time, made substantial profits for the provision of these medications. And, unlike […]
Aetna takes mail-order in-house; ends contract with Express Scripts Aetna is bringing its mail-order operations in-house, and is negotiating to buy a mail-order unit. Currently, mail-order functions for Aetna’s pharmacy benefit members are handled by Express Scripts, while the company’s in-house PBM unit, Aetna Pharmacy Management, handles the bulk of other PBM functions for Aetna’s […]
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts has a new phone system to allow members to get answers to their questions regarding pharmacy benefits – Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts Inc – Brief Article * Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts has a new phone system to allow members to get answers to their […]